Bill Text: VA SB321 | 2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Charter; City of Alexandria.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2014-04-06 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0698) [SB321 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2014-SB321-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §§10.01, 11.02, and 15.10, as amended, of Chapter 536 of the Acts of Assembly of 1950 are amended and reenacted as follows: §10.01. Election of mayor and council members. On the In the event no candidate shall file a petition for the office of mayor, the ballot shall show no candidates for that office and the member of council who receives the largest popular vote shall be the mayor of the city and persons receiving the next six highest votes shall be the city council members. The said election shall be held in accordance with the general laws of the Commonwealth relating to primary and general elections wherever applicable. §11.02. City attorney, powers and duties. The city attorney shall: (a) Be the legal adviser of the council, the city manager, and
all departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the city (b) At the request of the city manager or any member of the council, prepare ordinances for introduction and, at the request of the council or any member thereof, examine any ordinance after introduction and render his opinion as to the form and legality thereof. (c) Draw or approve all bonds, deeds, leases, contracts or other instruments to which the city is a party or in which it has an interest. (d) Represent the city as counsel in any civil case in which it is interested and in criminal cases in which the constitutionality or validity of any ordinance is brought in issue or in which the city is a party. (e) Institute and prosecute all legal proceedings he shall deem necessary or proper to protect the interests of the city. (f) Attend in person or assign one of his assistants to attend all meetings of the council. (g) Appoint and remove such assistant city attorneys and other employees as shall be authorized by the council, subject to the provisions of Chapter 8 of this charter, and authorize the assistant city attorneys or any of them or special counsel to perform any of the duties imposed upon him in this charter. (h) Have such other powers and duties as may be assigned to him by ordinance. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other law the council may, from time to time, enter into agreements with the Commonwealth's Attorney for such attorney to represent the city in any criminal case in which the city is a party. The council shall only consent to such an agreement by resolution adopted at a regular meeting and agreed to by a majority of all of its members. The agreement shall specify the types of cases to be handled by the Commonwealth's Attorney. Prior to the adoption of any such resolution the council shall request the recommendation of the City Attorney on the feasibility and operation of the agreement, but such recommendation shall not be binding on the council. The council may, at any time, modify or repeal its consent to such an agreement provided it follows the procedure provided herein for the giving of its consent and such right of council shall be a part of every such agreement. So long as such agreement is effective the City Attorney shall have no power or duty with respect to the types of cases specified therein. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law the council may provide supplements to the office of the Commonwealth's Attorney for performing the functions and duties covered by the agreement. §15.10. School board and school districts. (a) The City of Alexandria shall constitute a single school division. (b) The supervision of schools in the City of Alexandria shall
be vested in a school board consisting of nine members. Members of the school
board shall be selected by direct election by the voters, unless and until a
referendum is passed in favor of changing the method of selecting board members
to appointment by the city council, as provided in §22.1-57.4 of the Code of
Virginia, 1950, as amended. The school board members shall be elected from
election districts, and the council shall establish by ordinance the number and
boundaries of the election districts. Elections for school board members shall
be held to coincide with the elections for members of the city council which,
pursuant to §10.01 of this charter, are held every three years on the (c) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, a vacancy from whatever cause in the office of school board member filled by direct election by the voters shall be filled as follows: (1) A vacancy which occurs on or before 180 days prior to the next ensuing regular school board election shall be filled by a special popular election for the unexpired term of the office. In the event of such vacancy, the school board shall by resolution certify that such vacancy exists to the Circuit Court of the City of Alexandria, and the said court shall order a special election to be held not less than forty, nor more than sixty days after the filing of the resolution to fill the vacancy. Candidates shall file their declarations of candidacy and any statements or petitions required by general law not less than thirty days before said election. The election shall be conducted, and the results thereof ascertained, in the manner provided by law for the conduct of elections and by the regular election officials of the city; (2) A vacancy which occurs within 180 days of the next ensuing regular school board election shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the chief judge of the Circuit Court of the City of Alexandria; (3) When a vacancy on the school board is created by the departure of the board chairman, the remaining members of the board shall, as soon as practicable and by majority vote, select a new chairman from among the members. |